This invention relates to a tractor-implement control system and more particularly, to a control for hydraulic actuators on trailing agricultural implements so that oil flow from a single hydraulic outlet means of a hydraulic power source on a tractor may be selectively directed to power more than one hydraulic function on the implement.
The hydraulic systems of many agricultural tractors include only one outlet means through which hydraulic power controlled by a selective control valve on the tractor can be provided to power hydraulic actuators such as hydraulic cylinders on drawn machines. However, it is becoming increasingly common for drawn agricultural machines to be equipped with two or more hydraulically powered functions requiring separate operation and control. Many of these hydraulic functions are used only intermittently and frequently there is no requirement for simultaneous operation.
In the past the most practical way to provide for the operation of two or more hydraulic functions on a drawn machine has been to equip the tractor with additional selective control valve outlet means. However, for the many farm operations where the multiple hydraulic function is required only for one or two machines and only for occasional and intermittent use, such a solution is too costly.